How to Make Turkey Gravy From Scratch (and Fix It if It Goes Wrong)

Gravy is a roux plus liquid. Cook equal parts fat and flour together, then whisk in warm liquid until it thickens. The usual formula is 2 tablespoons of fat, 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 cup of stock or turkey juices, so for about 2 cups of gravy use 4 tablespoons of each and 2 cups of liquid. A little liquid cooks off as it simmers, so start with slightly more than you think you need.

1. Strain the juices from the roasting pan into a jug and let the fat rise to the top for a couple of minutes.
2. Spoon some of the fat into a saucepan and keep the juices.
3. Warm the fat over medium heat, whisk in the same amount of flour, and cook for a minute or two until it is smooth and bubbling.
4. Top the juices up with warm stock to the amount of gravy you want.
5. Add the liquid a little at a time, whisking constantly, so the gravy stays smooth.
6. Simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, then taste and season. Drippings and stock are often salty, so season at the end.

Use stock for the rest, and butter in place of the turkey fat. The better the stock, the better the gravy. Two of our chefs teach stocks. Kwame Onwuachi shows three stocks in his Stocks: Chicken, Vegetable & Shrimp lesson, including a chicken stock, and Edward Lee‘s meat stock is another base to build on.

If the gravy is lumpy, keep whisking, then pour it through a fine sieve. Next time, add the liquid gradually and whisk the whole time. If it is thin, simmer it longer, or mix equal parts soft butter and flour and whisk small pieces into the simmering gravy. If it is too thick, loosen it with a splash of stock or water.

Jamie Oliver teaches his family gravy in his Sunday Roast lesson, where it sits beside Yorkshire pudding and crispy roast potatoes. His gravy recipe is described as the ideal accompaniment to any Sunday roast or holiday dinner, and the lesson promises a secret ingredient to watch for. His chicken gravy is taught in his Chicken & Leek Pie with Mash lesson.

Gravy keeps well, so you can make it before the big day. It can sit in the refrigerator for a few days and be rewarmed gently on the stove, and it freezes for two to three months. Thin it with a little stock as you reheat it. Cool leftover gravy in shallow containers and refrigerate it within two hours of cooking, and when you reheat it, bring it to a rolling boil.